Folding Forum

Hello, I am new to this forum but not to folding. I've been doing it for years now. I previously did it with my PS3 and since I moved I've been using my MBP.

So here is the thing. I recently tried to convince some friends to join the programme and one of them started saying it would destroy my MBP. I tried telling him that by controlling the temperature there would be no problem but he insisted that it wasn't only about the temperature but about ''the limited cycles'' a cpu can go through, the heat on the thermal grease and other components. He believes keeping the computer 24/7 on, even if it is not at 100% CPU capacity and below 80C temp, is going to reduce its lifespan considerably. Anyways, he totally destroyed my righteous quest to introduce my friends to F@H.

I want to go back with some info to convince the others and calm myself, because he kind of got me scared. I've always assumed that if the temperature doesn't go too high it's ok and the computer will probably go to a museum before its lifespan is over. But that is what I think, I guess I might be wrong.I used to go 100% on my cpu and the temp was around 90C, but now I go around 56% CPU and 76C because I dont want my mac to die too early.

So, the point is, what are the recommended limits for my MBP (so that its lifespan is decent or unchanged). I'm interested in CPU%, temperature and RPMs of the fan, but any other info is welcome.

As said my computer is a MBP runing osx 10.8.3 with a 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo and a memory of 4GB 1067 MHz DDR3.

THANKS, hope to get more involved in this forum.

I don't know of any specific limits to watch for on your MBP as I have a MacBook. When I do want to monitor temperature and fan speed, I use smcFanControl. In any case, if folding was going to reduce the lifespan of my MacBook, it should have happened by now. I have had the MacBook folding nearly continuously for 3 years and fairly often for over a year before that. I occasionally blow the dust out of it and make sure to have it positioned so air can flow under the bottom case as well. As far as the fans in MBP's, one son has both original ones in his 5 year old model while the other had to have one replaced in his.

The only computer hardware that I am aware of which has "the limited cycles" are SSDs (Sold State Drives). The P/E (programmable/erasable) cycles for each NAND is few tens of thousands for customer grade SSD (higher for enterprise grade). The bottom line is that with new SSD generations, you have to be writing huge files (couple of GBs) on daily basis for few years before you can trash the SSD. You can use Google to come up with specific numbers and details from different vendors.

Regarding the CPU lifespan, the lower the temperatures are when running at full load, the better it is. Having said that, the generally accepted range of temperatures is 70C to 80C for desktop. Laptop CPUs can be slightly higher as they can withstand the additional heat. If your temperature is constantly around 90C (with proper cooling, dust free fans, etc), it is a bit out of my comfort zone. I draw the line at 85C under the harshest conditions (this is not the peak, rather the average temperature). I have read reports about CPUs running at 90C 24/7 at 100% without issues. Moreover, all latest CPUs/GPUs have thermal throttling which means that if it reaches a critical temperature, it will automatically try to safe itself by lowering the frequencies which in turn lowers the heat generated. In some cases, the system shuts down to prevent any permanent damage.

angelkanarias wrote:I've always assumed that if the temperature doesn't go too high it's ok and the computer will probably go to a museum before its lifespan is over.

This is pretty much true. Your CPU life will decrease, but it would probably be going from, say, 8 years life expectancy to 7. You'll almost certainly replace it long before it dies. A mechanical hard drive or system fan is much more likely to fail during the normal ownership period.

Zagen30 wrote:

angelkanarias wrote:I've always assumed that if the temperature doesn't go too high it's ok and the computer will probably go to a museum before its lifespan is over.

This is pretty much true. Your CPU life will decrease, but it would probably be going from, say, 8 years life expectancy to 7. You'll almost certainly replace it long before it dies. A mechanical hard drive or system fan is much more likely to fail during the normal ownership period.

As they have for me in my laptop (not a Macbook) after 4 years, so I second that. I had to replace both of those components, but the CPU is doing just fine.

it would probably be going from, say, 8 years life expectancy to 7

More like, from an expected life of 12 years down to 10 years. Angelkanarias, the friend who gave you hardware advice appears to me to have more theoretical knowledge than practical experience. I assume he intends well, but he doesn't seem to be a computer builder/tester.

With that said, if you intend to run Folding on your laptop, ensure that all the computer's vents are unobstructed. Also, don't be surprised if the the CPU throttles down due to heat. Laptops are just not designed for high-power applications.

Ok, thank you very much guys! It's been enlightening.

Any professionally designed system must undergo rigorous tests before the design is approved for sale. That includes simulated lifetime operations which include operation in the hottest and coldest temperatures found around the globe and continuous operation at the maximum possible load for "a long time" (as defined by both the manufacturer and by industry standards). Reasonable maintenance generally includes cleaning the dust out as others have said as that can limit the effectivity of the cooling system.

Your first question to the friend is what you have to do to void the warranty? Ask your friend to get a copy of the manufacturer's performance limitations and show you where it specifies what he's saying.

I always wonder how accurate the thermometers are in my MacBook Pro. It hits 100 C easily during heavy processing and it never shuts down or freezes up. I dont fold with that computer however.

I fold with my Dell laptop and have done so for about a solid year. No issues despite loads of heat generated.